Men's Golf Southern Conference

ETSU Trio in Action at World Amateur Team Championship

KARUIZAWA, Japan. – Mateusz Gradecki (Oborniki Slaskie, Poland) led Poland in the first round of the World Amateur Team Championship as the Buccaneer sophomore fired a 2-under-par 70 from the Iriyama Course in Karuizawa on Wednesday.

Gradecki, one of three ETSU men’s golfers participating in the championship, is tied for 45th and is five shots off the lead. The Buccaneer golfer opened play on the back nine and recorded two birdies on his first four holes. Gradecki eventually moved to 3-under after a birdie on the par-5, 541-yard No. 1 but fell back to 2-under for the round after posting a bogey on the par-5, 548-yard No. 5.

Meanwhile, fellow Buccaneers Rhys Pugh (Pontypridd, Wales) and Adrian Meronk (Wroclaw, Poland) also posted solid rounds on day one.

Meronk, who is Gradecki’s teammate for Poland, finished at even-par 72, while Pugh – who is representing Wales – ended at 1-under-par 71.

Pugh had a rollercoaster round on the Oshitate Course as he totaled seven birdies, four bogeys and a double bogey to finish in a tie for 56th. The ETSU senior standout birdied two of his first five holes but then quickly moved to 2-over after registering two bogeys and a double bogey on Nos. 6, 7, and 8. Pugh responded with a birdie on nine and, after walking away with a bogey on No. 10, the Welshman played the final eight holes at 3-under-par.

Like Gradecki, Meronk began his round on the back nine of the Iriyama Course and finished with two birdies and two bogeys in his round. Meronk was 1-over through nine but moved to 1-under after carding two birdies in his first five holes following the turn; however, the Buccaneer junior ended the round with a bogey on the par-4, 405-yard No. 9, moving him into a tie for 75th at even-par.

In team scoring, Wales is tied for 20th at 4-under-par 138, while Poland is tied for 27th at 2-under 142. Canada, Sweden and Switzerland are tied for the lead after round one at 10-under-par 134.

Individually, Marcus Kinhult of Sweden holds a one-stroke lead after finishing the opening round at 7-under-par 65.

The championship began Tuesday evening in the U.S. (Wednesday morning in Japan).

Second-round play gets underway on Wednesday night (Thursday morning in Japan). Pugh is scheduled to tee off at 9:55 p.m. EDT from No. 10 of the Iriyama Course, while Meronk (10:35 p.m. EDT) and Gradecki (10:45 p.m. EDT) from No. 1 of the Oshitate Course.